cover up meaning and examples

Meaning

• Cover up means to hide something, usually the truth, a mistake, or evidence, often to avoid blame or embarrassment.
• It can also mean to put clothes or a covering over something for protection or modesty.

Grammar and Usage

• Part of speech: phrasal verb
• Transitive: cover up something (hide or conceal it).
• Intransitive: cover up (act of hiding the truth or covering oneself).

Patterns:

• cover up + noun → conceal or hide something.
• cover up for + someone → protect someone by hiding their fault or crime.
• cover up (without an object) → put on more clothes.

Common Phrases

• cover up the truth
• cover up a scandal
• cover up for a friend
• cover up mistakes
• cover up with a blanket

Collocations

• verb + cover up: try to cover up, attempt to cover up, manage to cover up
• noun + cover up: crime cover-up, scandal cover-up, political cover-up
• cover up + noun: cover up evidence, cover up lies, cover up wrongdoing

Examples

1. The company tried to cover up the accident to protect its reputation.
2. He wore a scarf to cover up the bruise on his neck.
3. The politician attempted to cover up the scandal but was exposed by journalists.
4. Don’t cover up for him—he needs to take responsibility.
5. She grabbed a jacket to cover up when it got chilly outside.
6. The manager was fired for trying to cover up financial misconduct.
7. They used makeup to cover up the scar.
8. The government faced criticism for a massive cover-up of corruption.

Synonyms or Related

• hide
• conceal
• mask
• whitewash
• sweep under the rug

Antonym

• expose
• reveal
• uncover
• disclose